Croydon is the pothole capital of London, according to angry reports left on a cycling club website.
The Cyclists’ Touring Club (CTC) has received more than 450 reports of pothole hazards in Croydon over the past three years, compared with 275 in Lambeth and just 25 in Sutton.
Phil Thomas, cabinet member for highways, exclusively revealed to the Croydon Guardian that £7m is to be put aside for road resurfacing and repairs in next week’s annual budget – a 62 per cent increase on last year.
The money will be diverted from the council’s capital expenditure budget.
Coun Thomas said: “There’s a £12m backlog of repairs, which we inherited four years ago, and even by pumping more money in next year we’re still playing catch-up. It’s been exacerbated by the freezing conditions, as the guys that do the potholes also do the gritting.”
He added he believed Croydon had received the most pothole complaints on the CTC site because the council had encouraged people to report them.
The Croydon Guardian scored a victory for motorists in New Addington last week after workers were drafted in to fill a “tank trap” sized hole.
The massive pothole in New Addington’s Fieldway was forcing motorists to slam on their brakes or swerve to miss it to avoid damaging their cars.
Do you have any enormous potholes in your road? Let us know using the form below...
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel